Legal eagles for accountants Arthur Andersen won the first round in their fight to defend the embattled firm against a criminal indictment while hundreds of employees demonstrated outside.

As Andersen pleaded “not guilty” at its arraignment before a federal magistrate yesterday, Rusty Hardin, the fair-haired former prosecutor and lead counsel for Andersen, scored an early trial date from U.S. district judge Melinda Harmon.

“Arthur Andersen will do anything under the sun to get this trial into court,” said Hardin before a U.S. district judge in Houston. “We’re trying to save this company.”

But Hardin – a former member of the Whitewater investigation team – didn’t have to push too hard. The judge ordered that jury selection will begin on May 6.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel Buell said the government expects the trial to last two weeks.

“Our clients are leaving us and they are high-profile clients. We have not hurt anybody,” said Frauenheim to reporters outside the Rusk Street courthouse.

Andersen employees are reportedly planning further demonstrations in Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia.

Andersen was hit with a criminal charge of obstruction of justice last week after the scandal-scarred firm refused to cop a plea deal with the Justice Department and the firm’s merger plans with two rival firms fell through.

If convicted, Andersen faces a $500,000 fine and five years probation.